Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Even though they knew it was passed time to get dressed and ready for the afternoon, Lyv still complained as every single article of clothing was pulled onto her body and Jai's. Jai couldn't stop laughing at her complaints either, giving her a kiss in between every single one. That made her complain even more, though, as he finished helping the laces on her leather pants after tucking her white tunic into them.

What had her smiling again was when he helped her secure the braided crown around her head with pins. This was something she absolutely loved, but never really said out loud. She could just sit there for hours and let him run his fingers through her hair. Her eyes went to his hair then, which he'd tied half up with a leather strap. What had her pressing her lips together in an attempt to hold in her laughter was imagining the tables turned and Lyv getting to braid Jai's hair. He'd never let her, though. Not knowingly, of course. She'd have to play with it when he was sleeping.

Jai, however, had already turned away from her after kissing the side of her neck, bending over their bags to dig something else out of hers. Lyv wasn't paying any attention, not with the view it gave her of him. She was openly appreciating Jai in his leather pants that were tight in all the right places.

He caught her as soon as he turned.

"You're impossible," he snorted, rolling his eyes as she grinned guiltily.

"What?" she shrugged innocently. "Just be proud of the fact that your mate can't seem to keep her eyes off you."

"...or her hands."

"Or her mouth, for that matter."

"A mouth that's going to get you into trouble one day."

"I don't hear you complaining, do you?"

Jai's grin turned wicked as he stepped forward, still hiding what he'd gotten from her bag behind his back. "Can I give you something else of yours, even though I don't see you having to use it any time soon?"

Lyv tried to side step him and reach behind his back, but with no success. He danced out of her way too quickly for her hand to make contact with anything but the back of his shirt.

"So impatient, aren't you?" he teased. "Besides, I've already given you two things you've been missing. Maybe I should wait..."

"Don't you dare, not now that you've got me beyond curious," she complained, and reached out with her magic to hold him in place. Her grin broadened when he stopped his struggle...which was before she even did. "See? You can't run from me, prince."

"And why would I run from you, princess?" Jai asked, raising an eyebrow as he stepped forward, stopping a foot away to lean down and press a chaste kiss to her lips.

Then he was kneeling down onto one knee, his hands going to her right thigh and smoothing upward. Lyv could only watch his face, barely noticing the sheath he secured around her leg. But it was what he was pulling from that sheath to show her that caught her attention.

Her breath rushed out of her then as she reached up to take her dagger, given to her by Bence when she was a little girl, from his grasp.

Lyv couldn't help it. Tears welled up in her eyes as her fingers traced over the engraved pommel and down the blade, seeing her reflection in the steel when she held it up. She was crying more with this being given back than she did with her ring and locket.

"You left that behind, too," Jai smiled, reaching up to wipe away her tears. "I figured you'd want it back."

"You've got to stop surprising me with everything," Lyv mumbled, leaning her forehead against his chest. "I'm tired of crying."